The market may have softened but the viewers are still piling into show houses on some of the sites. Last weekend more than 1,000 people went to the bother of driving to Johnstown village near Naas, where a small development of expensive detached homes went on view for the first time. Agents Hooke & MacDonald found buyers for eight of the 10 "mansion style" five-bedroom homes, which sold mainly from £450,000 to £460,000 (€571,382-€584,080). Sales were also agreed on three large bungalows in the St John's Grove development, which is being promoted by O'Dwyer Nolan.

Even if only a handful of viewers made committments last weekend, there is obviously huge interest in new house design, both inside and out. Developers are cottoning onto this and the days of the boring three-bedroom semi are numbered. Now even the most modest development will have decorative flourishes while more serious builders are employing top-notch architects to come up with interesting designs.

In Clontarf, for instance, Sean McKeon's company MKN has just got an architectural award for an expensive scheme of three and four-bedroom houses. O'Mahony Pike, one of the busiest practices in the city, scooped the award for its "intensity of development coupled with a large variety of dwelling units" and the creation of "urban type spaces". Worth a detour on the Sunday drive.